SHOBAL (shō'băl, Heb. shôvāl)

One of the sons of Seir the Horite, a very early inhabitant of what was later Edom (Gen.36.20, Gen.36.23). These Horites, or Hurrians, were expelled and destroyed by the Edomites, descendants of Esau (Deut.2.12). Shobal is listed as one of the chiefs of the Horites (Gen.36.29).An early Ephrathite of the sons of Caleb (not the spy), an ancestor or founder of Kiriath Jearim (1Chr.2.50, 1Chr.2.52).A grandson of Judah and father of Reaiah (1Chr.4.1-1Chr.4.2).

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SHOBAL shō’ bəl (שׁוֹבָ֖ל). 1. A “son” of Seir the Horite, and a clan chief of the native Horite inhabitants of Edom (Gen 36:20, 23, 29; 1 Chron 1:38, 40).

2. Ancestor of a Calebite family in the tribe of Judah, and the ancestor of the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim (1 Chron 2:50, 52; 4:1, 2). The name may be connected with 1.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

(shobhal, "overflowing"; Sobal, with variants):

(1) An Edomite name mentioned in connection with Lotan, Zibeon and Anah, as that of a "son" of Seir (Ge 36:20), the father of a clan (Ge 36:23), and a Horite "duke" (’alluph) (Ge 36:29; 1Ch 1:38,40).

(2) A Calebite, the father (possibly of the inhabitants) of Kiriath-jearim (1Ch 2:50,52).

(3) A Judahite, perhaps to be identified with (2) above (1Ch 4:1 f).